October 27, 2008

How much hat…

How much hat could a worried mom knit if a worried mom knit all night?

Turns out you can knit pretty much if you’re up all night! But let’s start at the beginning of this story.

On Wednesday as Bunny and I were going into school he said to me, “It sure would be nice if I had a hat.” Words to warm a knitting mom’s heart. Wednesday night I gave him a number of choices and he decided he wanted a hat to match Daddy’s, the Turkish Patterned Cap I knitted for B. I tried the existing model on Bunny and figured out the sizing.

Thursday afternoon I left school early and headed to Reagan National Airport to catch a flight to Chicago for a meeting of an advisory board I serve on. The trip was flawless. I got lunch in the airport, got on an earlier plane off the stand-by list, and even ended up in an “Economy Plus” window seat with and empty middle seat. While in the airport I had executed the cast-on and once settled in my seat I merrily knit along all the while thinking about how lucky I was and how much I enjoy color work!

Landing was easy and I headed through O’Hare to the shuttle area. They say the hotel shuttle comes every 20 minutes, the past two years when I have gone to this meeting I have had to wait 30 minutes each time. It was exactly 10 minutes from when I arrived at the bus stop till the bus arrived. I checked into the hotel, dropped my stuff in my room, and tried out the free happy hour! Happy hour and a bite to eat and I was back in my room, amazed at my fabulous day… and a little concerned about what fate had in store… little did I know.

Friday morning, great breakfast in the hotel, a few rounds on the hat, and then downstairs for my meeting. The meeting was good and interesting. I feel like I had things to contribute and that I learned some things as well. Then my phone rang a little before 2:00 central time. When I saw the school’s number on the caller ID my heart flipped. My friend and teaching colleague JulieFrick was on the other end. She said they had already called B, but that Bunny was quite hurt and it was likely that his elbow was at least dislocated. From that point on the day rapidly went down hill. B left work and raced over to school (damaging the left front of his car on the way out of his work garage) he talked to both the pediatrician and the insurance on the way and after consulting with the school nurse he scooped up Bunny and they headed to Georgetown University Hospital. Much waiting and some x-rays revealed that he had indeed broken his arm and surgery was needed to repair it. (If you like that sort of thing, click here for the x-ray.)

Through all this I’m getting to and then waiting at O’Hare. Luckily I was already scheduled on an evening flight, because everything was overbooked. I knit some, but I think I mostly looked at my phone willing it to ring with news. By the time I boarded the plane I knew that Bunny would have surgery while I was in the air and that B felt comfortable with the guy who was performing the operation.

I did knit on the hat on the flight and for the first time ever was asked to put my knitting away for landing… When we landed I got to through the airport and on the shuttle to my car into my car and on my way to the hospital. Luckily I had packed an extra night’s worth of everything so I was set to stay at the hospital. I got the the surgical waiting room and met up with B and not long after the surgeon came to tell us that all was well. Bunny now had four pins in his arm and a giant cast.

We got to a shared room in the pediatric ICU shortly after midnight and B went home to get some sleep. I stayed in the room, knit, listened to my iPod, and dozed. In the morning the decision was made that Bunny should stay till about 1:00 so that they could give him the final dose of antibiotics. He was having some pain, but they were able to control it. We have discovered that he doesn’t identify the pain right away, but starts falling apart about any little thing and then we know there’s pain.

Discharge went as planned and we were home by mid-afternoon. Bunny and I both had a nap and a good night’s sleep on Saturday night. By yesterday he was feeling pretty good and went to a birthday party as planned. Today he and I are both at school!

All’s well that ends well… I feel thankful that at every step of the way Bunny had outstanding care. I’m hoping I can get his hat done tonight, maybe I should start working on a giant mitten as well!

Wow – what a story. I am so glad to hear that bunny is going to be ok. Poor little guy. Thank goodness he has such wonderful and caring parents. He is very loved! I am sure that he will love his hat too. 🙂 I found this cast cover pattern on Ravelry – http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/toddlers-cast-cover